


A Land of Myth

by viscountxela



Series: The Sword and the Stone [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-18
Updated: 2018-01-18
Packaged: 2019-03-06 12:04:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13410882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/viscountxela/pseuds/viscountxela
Summary: Arthur died on a cold, cloudy morning.





	A Land of Myth

Arthur died on a cold, cloudy morning.

He didn't know for how long he sat on the ground, only a heartbreaking meter away from the lake that could have saved his king, but Merlin continued to hold on to him. The weariness of the years was finally crashing down on him. Kilgarrah had left with a pitying bow, leaving him to send Arthur off in private.

Eventually, he mindlessly moved Arthur to lie on the grass. He imagined a boat filled with dried leaves and fresh flowers, and when he looked at the edge of the lake, the water rippled under its weight. He took Arthur, his pallor as pale as the skies, and carefully hoisted him on the boat. The crinkling of leaves was loud against the soft waves of the lake.

 _Arthur, Arthur..._ he kept repeating like a prayer to the Gods, a substitute to words he couldn't say.

He placed a hand on his king’s forehead. He felt his king’s soul slipping. As its warmth seeped  through his mortal shell, he felt it lean towards him and he choked a sob.

" _In sibbe gerest_ ," he whispered, and it echoed throughout the clearing. The boat began its voyage, but he couldn’t bring himself to light it ablaze.

Beyond the lake, beyond that sunless day, Merlin could hear the chiming of the bells, speaking of a legacy to be remembered. Magic sang in his blood, thrummed through his veins. As he stood just a few feet away from Avalon’s Gates, he could feel Albion flourish to a golden age.

Yet, through his tears as he looked to the white skies, without his king, it didn’t feel like much of a victory. 

 

* * *

 

**PROLOGUE**

  _After all you’ve been through you thought death would be a simple affair._

_You should’ve known better. With you, things are rarely simple._

**Author's Note:**

> This has been gathering dust in my hard drive since the series ended. I figured I should just go ahead and post it in hopes that it would compel me to write more.  
> We'll see how it goes.


End file.
